Unit 1: Introduction to Blender
- Navigate Blender’s interface
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of 3D modeling
- Perform the basic steps required to create computer animation
Unit 2: Jumping into 3D Animation
- Recognize the different types of 3D animation
- Explain kinematic animation
- Demonstrate the concept of F-curves in speeding up and slowing down animation
- Navigate the graph editor used in 3D animation
- Apply the following principles of animation: anticipation, pose to pose, and slow in/slow out
Unit 3: Introduction to Modeling & Texture
- Explain the basic principles of 3D modeling
- Understand the basic principles involved in texturing 3D models
- Apply materials, displacement maps, and textures to 3D models
- Use basic modeling tools to create complex objects from primitive ones
Unit 4: The Basics of Batch Render
- Understand the rendering process, including anti-aliasing, multi-passes, and channels
- Explain the basics of lighting effects and create a system to light up a scene
- Adjust render settings to create a desired effect or the final look of a model and/or an animation
- Render an image and batch render an animation
Unit 5: Introduction to Rigging: Joints & Weights
- Construct a skeletal joint system in Blender
- Recognize the basic functions of joint orientation and how joints move an object like a humanoid character
- Understand the relationship between the joint system and the “skin” of a 3D model
- Produce an animatic that is crucial to the production of computer animation
Unit 6: Human Anatomy and Form
- Identify both the facial and body proportions of a human
- Describe the basic anatomy of the human body
- Discuss the importance of poses in an animation and how they communicate emotion
- Create exaggerated poses using a functional character rig
Unit 7: Connecting Sound to Animation
- Identify basic sound elements in movies and video games
- Describe the basics of sound editing in Blender
- Explain how lip syncing is created
- Combine images and sound
Unit 8: A Career in Animation
- Create a portfolio and demo reel to present to potential employers
- Describe concerns related to intellectual property and copyright law
- Find training opportunities and develop your networking skills
- Learn how to maintain an established business relationship
